Café worker racially abused by customer receives support from around the world

Café worker Josie Ajak has been inundated with messages of support after being subjected to racial abuse while at work.

Josie is originally from South Sudan, and moved to Australia when she was eight. She now lives in Cairns and works at Gloria Jean’s Coffees in the centre of the city.

She became the subject of a viral social media campaign in recent days after a friend posted details of an incident in which an elderly white woman in a wheelchair came into the café, and refused to be served by Josie.

Josie Ajak at work

In a Facebook post that’s attracted more than 12,000 likes and 600 shares to date, Jade Arevalo addressed her message to “the woman who recently visited Gloria Jeans in Central for coffee and refused to be served by Josie because of the colour of her skin.”

Recounting the incident to ABC, Ms Ajak said: "This elderly woman approached the counter in a wheelchair and I greeted her as I would anyone else.

"She just looked at me and said 'I refuse to be served by a black person, can you get me a white lady?”

Ms Ajak then asked the woman to stand aside. “She was waiting — I guess for a white lady to come and serve her — for about five minutes and then she angrily rolled away in her wheelchair."

Ms Arevalo’s Facebook post said: “Josie is one of the most kind and friendly people you could meet but irrespective of her character, she did not deserve to be excluded like this.

“What makes it worse is that this nasty lady who asked for another staff member travels in a wheelchair and could quite possibly understand a life made difficult by others assuming less of her.

“So, next time you're in the centre and want an awesome drink, come give Josie a hug and say hi … Just don't tell her she's not worthy of your time and money because seriously, it's hurtful and she'll tell me about it and I'll tell everyone.

“And cheers to Gloria Jeans for refusing to serve the awful woman at all!”

Ms Arevalo signed off her post with the hashtag #buyacoffeefromjosie – and strangers around the world have since used the tag to share with Josie messages of support and sympathy.